Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Dear local election candidates - my bucket list
I've been reading the various posts and leaflets from the parties standing candidates in Harringay ward and have come to conclusion that what I want (my personal preference) is as follows
As it's inevitable that Labour will be in the majority (please don't try to deny that candidates, you know it's the case) an effective opposition that really hold the Cabinet to account for their actions and promises.
Local candidates of any party who make realistic commitments to local people about local issues, not national ones, that they will deliver and if they can't, tell us why and what they are doing about it.
Candidates who don't just materialise at election time and even if they are not elected keep plugging away between elections.
Candidates who respond to questions with answers, not cleverness or rudeness.
Anyone else have a wish list?
Tags for Forum Posts: 2014 elections
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gordon Curtis on
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I think Justin's advice is pretty sound to be fair. If you confront someone in a public space like on this forum, in all likely-hood all you'll receive is a guarded answer, checked and edited and avoiding pitfalls of the more aggressively minded. Nothing like a bit of face-to-face to really get the measure of someone.
Advice for residents on HOL:
Avoid CAPTIALS, theres really no need to shout
Avoid exclamation marks! (especially in multiples!!!!) as you just appear to be foaming at the mouth.
Directing Bold font at an individual is just uncouth and should probably get you sent to the HOL sin-bin.
(Also, remember to include an emoticon if a comment isn't entirely serious
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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Gordon, I've put so much personal effort into keeping these politicians honest for my friends and neighbours that when you do something like that I just think what an idiot I have been to have done this. Perhaps I'm being too pofaced about what you have written but I just bet you're a member of the local Labour Party which has cost me (and my neighbours) thousands of pounds in legal fees fighting a harassment order that they issued on me just to stop me giving advice like that.
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No John, I wouldn't say po faced, just a bit rude. It just seemed to me that this thread is about opening a political dialogue, not shutting it down. I'm not entirely convinced that your advice was very helpful or that its very helpful to start throwing (frankly weird) accusations around either.
Michael's asked an interesting question and personally, I'm finding it valuable to hear what the candidates have to say in response to it. Whatever his political party, Justin's been decent enough to offer a response, using "utter rubbish" as your opening gambit wasn't quite in the spirit of Michael's request:
"...not cleverness or rudeness."
I tried to keep it light, sorry you missed it. I'll try again with an emoticon
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Permalink Reply by ant on
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I agree with Johns point and Gordon its sounds like you do too because you say - I'm finding it valuable to hear what the candidates have to say. I've had one candidate come to my door to chat and it did feel like they were trying to say whatever they thought i'd like to hear, i'd much prefer they'd engage in discussion on HoL so we can all hear what they say and have some record of it.
And here's a happy face
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Maybe you're right Ant, but I'm not sure that that means that talking to someone face-to-face is less valuable, or that you should take something as gospel because they've logged it on HOL - just you'd hope, more considered? But as a result possibly less honest.
Its a sign of a bigger problem, that because everything is logged, nothing of much value is actually said for fear of making a publicly recorded ill-judged step (see any number of politicians on Newsnight etc.)
I suppose the main emphasis of the comment was that if you set out your stall to attack, you're likely to stop a discussion rather than eek out a deeper truth, which I think is what John is hoping to do?
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When journalists "doorstep" politicians they are trying to catch them out. The same goes for when politicians doorstep the electorate. They may be busy, have not thought through the issues and are unlikely to give a considered response that will contribute to the vitality of local democracy (Yes crime is bad, yes those Tories are evil etc). Even David Lammy has asked me if I don't have anything better to do with my time than ask him questions when he is out on the doorstep, the subtle implication being that real people are living their lives behind those doors.
Now the situation on here is that the electorate ask the questions when they have considered them, potentially seen others' questions and have the mental space to be as articulate as possible. How on earth can you surmise that the answers given in return are "possibly less honest"? I can see that they might be more guarded but surely that's as it should be too.
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Permalink Reply by Laura on
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I find the online forum an excellent way to help me decide which way to vote. Having had no leaflets or anyone knocking on my door to question directly, it is useful to have some communication.
I also agree that although the answers online are more thought out, that that is surely a good thing- at least we can hold these views to account if they fail to deliver. I am not interested in 'catching someone out' by talking to them face to face, and I also appreciate being able to ponder a question, should I wish to ask it.
Having said all of this, being a St Ann's ward voter, I am concerned that not enough people voting access HOL to inform themselves of the issues. I know many people that have had no idea about the 'troubles'. In this way more leaflets and door to door would certainly make a difference to St Ann's, particularly Lib Dem candidates I suspect! -
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Permalink Reply by Justin Hinchcliffe on
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The whole of St Ann's Ward has been delivered by us. That's the problem... political parties do put things out but voters scope everything up that unenveloped (eg. pizzas leaflets and recycle/bin them). To be fair, the Lib Dems and TUSC have also delivered it at least once. Of course we'd all love to envelope stuff, but the costs prohibit us from doing so. Perhaps there is, after all, a case for state funding? Best wishes. Justin --Conservative Agent
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"utter rubbish" - I think you should follow the Tottenham Tories on Twitter, this is standard discourse and you are being over sensitive. That said, I am unhappy that I was a bit OTT and apologise. Fear not Justin and I are more than polite to one another when we meet offline.
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This email I got as a "Labour Supporter" shows how much trouble they are having moving the doorstep to social media. Click through and see the worst survey you could possibly imagine when it comes to genuinely taking the pulse of the electorate.
Hi,
This is fantastic — in just three days, 35,101 Labour supporters have taken our survey!
Before we look at all the responses and show them to Ed, we want you to add yours.
So, first question, now:
Do you plan to vote in the next election?
Thanks,
Iain
Iain McNicol
General Secretary
Labour Party
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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John, you need to ask yourself what data Labour - and other parties - are trying to collect. My guesses below, are based on a quick peek at the survey. (I've probably left a few out.)
- Your political views in general Party terms
- Confirmation of your email.
- Confirmation that their records are accurate about who is likely to vote for or against them.
- Identify non voters.
- Ask for a donation.
- Ask you to volunteer.
- Discover how you prioritise different election issues.
- Whether or not you are likely to fill in online surveys. (For their future reference.)
- Whether or not you are likely to tweet the survey - the information cascade.
- Giving the impression that the Party is 'listening' and values your response.
For the last point I typed "giving the impression" , because for the next few weeks the parties are in election machine mode. If you want to talk to a candidate then you'll probably have to make an effort. Though if you have any doubts about who to vote for, this is well worth doing. I think with three Tory Parties people should have very serious doubts. And this time go for the person you've actually met.
If a candidate you speak to isn't properly listening or is a speak-the-party-leaflet clone please don't vote for them - whatever colour rosette they wear.
And don't wait until Election Day. Assuming of course that candidates actually bother to spend any time in their own wards or even in Haringey on that day. (Some are "paper" or token candidates. Others won't be showing their faces because they're complacent about winning a safe seat; or have someone "more important" to support elsewhere.)
For people who haven't seen it, on 28 April the Guardian reported a UKIP surge. In the article Pater Hain MP gave some bad news for Labour as for the other main parties. He said: "the mainstream political parties had to recognise that UKIP's success was symptomatic of a wider loss of trust in politics. The political class needs to wake up because UKIP are capitalising on the big anti-politics sentiment that is out there".
Maybe the Haringey party machines have it all tabulated and know the results in advance. But just maybe there will be some surprises.
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
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Our Harringay survey did NOT ask voters how they intend to vote, if at all. The majority of wards do not have a UKIP candidate. You appear to out of the loop.
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